Weather Affects Turnout On Opening Day Of ‘Big Blue Crush’ Blood Drive

Old Man Winter got in the Big Blue Crush game Monday, and created a bit of trouble for the 27^th annual blood battle between Kentucky and Tennessee.

With one blood drive cancelled because of snow and lower than projected turnouts at other donation locations, Kentucky trails Tennessee after the first day of Big Blue Crush 570 to 538.

The snow that caused many school systems to close Monday, also forced the cancellation of the Mercer County High School blood drive.

“That was 80 or more donors we expected on Monday,” said Martha Osborne, Executive Director of Marketing and Recruitment for Kentucky Blood Center (KBC). “Hopefully, the weather will cooperate the rest of the week, and the Big Blue Nation will come out and show Tennessee how we bleed blue.”

Big Blue Crush runs through Friday.

Donors will receive a long-sleeve gray T-shirt and a chance to win a pair of tickets to the Kentucky-Louisville game, November 29.

Kentucky, which has won the past four years, leads the competition 13-12 with one tie against Tennessee and Medic Regional Blood Center in Knoxville.

Big Blue Crush is always the week prior to Thanksgiving and helps ensure a strong blood supply heading into the holidays.

Donors this year have a Louisville area donation location. Kentucky Blood Center (KBC) recently opened the new Middletown Donor Center at 12905 Shelbyville Road in the Middletown Station Shoppes near the Walmart Supercenter and Target.

Along with the new Middletown location, KBC also has donor centers in Beaumont Centre and the Andover Shoppes in Lexington, and in Somerset and Pikeville.

All KBC donor centers are open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. during Crush week.

Big Blue Crush blood drives located throughout the region can be found at kybloodcenter.org, where fans can also make donation appointments.